Walkyier leaves Skyclad!

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the countless emails which you've been kind enough to send me in the days since I announced my fateful decision to leave Skyclad. I know that many of you will have followed my career since the early days, and have stated frequently in interviews how it was only down to your loyal friendship and unending support that I have been able to continue creating unique music for so many fruitful years. These statements were 100% true I can assure you; All my words would have meant absolutely nothing had you not been there to read them. It makes me very proud when I remember how we have helped each other throughout numerous difficult times over the years; This is something which I dearly hope we shall continue to do for a very long time to come.

After over a decade of fanatical zeal and commitment toward this band, my decision to leave was certainly not one to be taken lightly. With innumerable nights spent in sleepless contemplation of this most heart-rending matter, I can promise you that all other available options were both long and thoughtfully considered prior to this most drastic course of action being taken. My poet's intuition has seldom let me down in the past; I shall therefore trust its wise council upon this occasion also. I have consulted with many close friends, family members and knowledgeable business colleagues, who've unanimously and confidently advised me that my current path is artistically the most honourable direction I could possibly take under the current set of circumstances.
I have only ever had two addictions in my life; One is nicotine, and the other an insatiable craving to provide you always with the most sincere and original art I can possibly envision. This foolhardy first addiction will undoubtedly one day cost me my health; The second has already cost me dearly, both financially and emotionally, since long before the release of "History Of A Time To Come" all those many years ago. Any hardships I've endured were made constantly worthwhile by the fact that I was thankfully able to share my varied thoughts and emotions with compassionate, intelligent human beings such as yourselves.
Vince Brotheridge and I have both worked immensely hard in creating an official Skyclad website that we could all be very proud of over the last eighteen months. Together we have put in countless hours of labour so that the loyal fans could finally express their thoughts and opinions on the music and philosophy of this singular band; I therefore do not appreciate seeing my name slandered upon these very web pages that the two of us have so diligently strived to construct. All such comments shall cease and desist immediately. There are unfortunately a few extremely misinformed individuals out there, who should consider themselves most fortunate that my legal representatives are currently engaged in far more pressing matters at hand. Get a fucking life!

When reading all your fascinating emails, it is easy to immediately spot the real Pagans among your number; Those of you who truly share in my heartfelt belief that death is not the end, but rather a brand-new beginning. A rebirth. "Casting off the past; transformation; a turning point; a new view of the future." These are but a few of the many positive interpretations of Death which can be found in 'The Norse Tarot'. In case anyone out there should be under the false-impression that my beliefs are not completely sincere, (that my Pagan 'image' was just a marketing ploy to sell a few more albums and T-shirts); I claim this opportunity to inform them emphatically that this has never been the case.

I remain firmly convinced that there are powerful forces at work in this universe which our frail-witted humanity cannot even begin to understand or explain. As to what their ultimate nature and purpose may be I am not yet wise enough to say, and most likely never shall be! Yet of their factual, eternal presence in the universe which surrounds us I am left in no doubt now whatsoever. Upon these invisible filaments which unite all things at all times, I am being slowly and inexorably drawn towards a period in my career that I honestly feel will prove to become one of my most creatively inspirational eras to date. As an artist I am no more able to resist this overwhelming inner urge, than a river in full-flood could foolishly hope to flow back upstream unto its trickling source. However, before I can truly adapt and embrace an ambitious future, I feel the need to dwell awhile in loud reflection upon the events of distant "History…". I will presently embark upon a lyrical exploration of the deepest, darkest recesses of the human heart and soul; My only remaining question now being, whom amongst you have what it takes to join me in The Quest?

May your guardian-spirits be with you always!

Martin Walkyier
17th April 2001

"There is nothing stable in the world - uproar's your only music." John Keats 13/1/1819